Structure of window covering support rack

ABSTRACT

A window covering support rack includes an elongate rod having opposite ends mounted to and supported by end brackets that are fixed to a wall and an intermediate bracket fixed to the wall between the end brackets and supporting the rod. The intermediate bracket includes an L-shaped plate having an end section fixed to the wall and a horizontal section extending from the rod section and having a free end forming a recess for partially receiving and supporting the rod therein. A retention wall is formed on the horizontal section of the intermediate bracket for stably retaining the rod in the recess. A plurality of hanger rings is fit over and movable along the rod. Each hanger ring has a side opening aligned with the horizontal section of the intermediate bracket to allow the hanger ring to pass over the intermediate bracket.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(a) Technical Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a window covering support rack, and in particular to a window covering support rack that allows passage of covering hanger ring or hanger hook through intermediate support brackets of the window covering support rack.

(b) Description of the Prior Art

A conventional window covering set often comprise a piece of soft or flexible covering movably or non-movably supported on a support rack that is mounted to a wall above a window to be covered with the covering. The support rack comprises an elongate rod along which the covering is spread and hung and is selectively movable. The rod is supported, at opposite ends thereof, by brackets that are mounted to the wall. For rods of extended lengths, such as those being longer than 5 feet, one or more intermediate brackets are needed to ensure structural strength in supporting a long and thus heavy covering.

FIG. 1 of the attached drawings illustrates a conventional window covering support rack, which is broadly designated with reference numeral 1, comprising a support rod 11, a plurality of support brackets 12, and hanger rings 13. The rod 11 is of a two-sectioned structure, comprising first and second rod sections 111, 112. The rod section 111 has an inner end forming a bolt 1111, while the rod section 112 has an inner and opposing the inner end of the rod section 111 and forming an internally-threaded hole 1121 for engaging the bolt 1111 to thereby connect the two sections 111, 112 together.

The bracket 12 comprises a base 121 and a support arm 122. The base 121 is mounted to a wall (not shown) and forms an open-ended cylinder 1211. The support arm 122 comprises an adjusting bar 1221 slidably fit into the cylinder 1211 of the base 121 and releasably secured thereto by a threaded fastener S1 for selectively, adjustably, and releasably retaining the support arm 122 to the base 121. Thus, the distance between the wall and the support arm 122 is adjustable. The support arm 122 forms a retention ring 1222, through which a bore 1223 is defined. The bore 1223 receives extension of the rod sections 111, 112 of the rod 11. The retention ring 1222 also forms an internally-threaded radially-extending hole 1224, which threadingly receives a threaded fastener S1 for engaging and releasably securing the rod sections 111, 112.

The hanger ring 13 is a circular ring to which a window covering clip 131 is attached. The clip 131 releasably secures a window covering to the hanger ring 13.

Also referring to FIG. 2, to install the conventional window covering support rack 1, two end brackets 12 are first fixed to the wall and the two rod sections 111, 112 are respectively extended through the retention rings 1222 of the support arms 122 of the two brackets 12. Before the bolt 1111 of the rod section 111 is put into threading engagement with the internally-threaded hole 1121 of the rod section 112, the rod sections 111, 112 are respectively fit through the hanger rings 13. Also, an intermediate bracket 12 is fit over either one of the rod sections 111, 112. Thereafter, the bolt 1111 and the internally-threaded hole 1121 of the rod sections 111, 112 engage with each other to connect the rod sections 111, 112 together as a single rod 11 that is now supported on the end brackets 12. The intermediate bracket 12 is then fixed to the wall to provide further support to the rod 11. Finally, a piece of window covering 2 is attached to the hanger rings 13 by being secured by the clips 131.

The conventional window covering support rack, although effective in soundly supporting a long rod 11 having a length exceeding five feet, suffers a major problem. The retention ring 1222 of the support arm 122 of the intermediate bracket 12 is a complete circle having no side opening, which becomes an obstacle to the movement of the hanger rings 13 when a user attempts to move the covering 2 to either end of the rod 11. Thus, it is not possible for the conventional window covering support rack to allow the covering 2 to be completely moved to one side for fully exposing the window.

In view of the above drawback of the conventional window covering support bracket 12, it is desired to have a window covering support rack that allows for passage of a window covering in uncovering and/or shading a window.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary purpose of the present invention is to provide a window covering support rack that overcomes the drawback that the conventional hanger ring that hangs a window covering on a rod is blocked by an intermediate bracket of the rod so that completely moving the window covering toward an end of the rod is in general not possible.

In an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a window covering support rack comprising a window covering support rod having opposite ends mounted to and supported by two end brackets that are mounted to a wall, and at least one intermediate bracket providing additional support to the rod. A plurality of hanger rings is fit over and movable along the rod. The intermediate bracket comprises an L-shaped plate having an end section mounted to the wall and a horizontally extending bottom support section extending from the end section and having a free end forming an arcuate recess for partially receiving and supporting the rod therein. A retention wall is formed on the bottom section of the intermediate bracket to stably retain the rod in the recess. Each hanger ring has a clip mounted thereto and depending therefrom for coupling a window covering, whereby the ring is securely retained on the rod by the weight of the window covering. The ring forms a side opening that is aligned to the bottom section of the intermediate bracket in a moving direction of the hanger ring along the rod so that the hanger ring is allowed to smoothly pass over the intermediate bracket to facilitate the use of the window covering.

In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a window covering support rack comprising two rods supported, at opposite ends thereof, by end brackets and an intermediate bracket providing an additional support to the rods. The intermediate bracket comprises a primary bracket member and a secondary bracket member. The primary bracket member comprises a lying U-shaped plate having an end section mounted to a wall, a bottom section forming a recess for partially receiving and supporting one of the rods and a retention wall for stably retaining the rod in the recess, and a top section forming a projection and an internally threaded hole. The secondary bracket member comprises a top section overlapping the top section of the primary bracket member and forming an elongate slot receiving the projection of the primary bracket member therein and aligned to the internally threaded hole to receive a threaded fastener to secure the secondary bracket member to the primary bracket member and a bottom section also forming a recess for partially receiving and supporting the other one of the rods therein and a retention wall stably retaining the rod in the recess. The rods carry two window coverings respectively.

The foregoing object and summary provide only a brief introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention itself, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detailed description of the invention and the claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts.

Many other advantages and features of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a conventional window covering support rack;

FIG. 2 is an assembled view of the conventional window covering support rack shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the conventional window covering support rack carrying a window covering;

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of a window covering support rack constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is an assembled view of the window covering support rack of the present invention shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the window covering support rack of the present invention carrying a window covering that comprises a soft and flexible curtain;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the window covering support rack of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the window covering support rack of the present invention carrying a window covering that comprises a shade;

FIG. 9 is an exploded view of an intermediate bracket of a window covering support rack constructed in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is an assembled view of the intermediate bracket of the present invention shown in FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the window covering support rack of said another embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the window support rack of said another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following descriptions are of exemplary embodiments only, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following description provides a convenient illustration for implementing exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement of the elements described without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

With reference to the drawings and in particular to FIG. 4, a window covering support rack constructed in accordance with the present invention, generally designated with reference numeral 2, comprises a window covering support rod 3, end bracket 4, and at least one intermediate bracket 5, and a hanger rings 6.

The rod 3 can be a single elongate rod of a desired length or may be comprised of a plurality sections that are jointed together to form the rod 3. In the embodiments illustrated, a two-sectional rod 3 is taken as an example for explaining the principle of the present invention. The rod 3 thus comprises two rod sections 31, 32 of which one, for example the rod section 31, forms a bolt 311 at an inner end thereof, and the other one, for example the rod section 32, forms, at an inner end thereof opposing the inner end of the rod section 31, an internally-threaded hole 321 for threadingly engaging the bolt 311 of the rod section 31 thereby jointing the two rod sections 31, 32 together to form the rod 3.

The end bracket 4 comprises a base 41 and a support arm 42. The base 41 is mounted to a wall (not shown) and forms an open-ended cylinder 411. The support arm 42 comprises an adjusting bar 421 slidably fit into the cylinder 411 of the base 41. With the slidability of the adjusting bar 421 in the cylinder 411, the distance between the support arm 42 and the wall can be adjusted and the support arm 42 can be positioned with respect to the wall as desired. The support arm 42 is releasably secured to the cylinder 41 of the base 41 by a threaded fastener S for selectively, adjustably, and releasably retaining the support arm 42 to the base 41. The support arm 42 forms a retention ring 422, through which a bore 423 is defined. The bore 423 receives extension of the rod sections 31, 32 of the rod 3. The retention ring 422 also forms an internally-threaded radially-extending hole 424, which threadingly receives a threaded fastener S for engaging and releasably securing the rod sections 31, 32 to the retention ring 422.

The intermediate bracket 5 comprises a substantially L-shaped plate having a first, end limb mounted to the wall and a second, bottom limb extending from the first limb and having a free end forming a recessed retention portion 51, having an arcuate cross section serving to partially receive the rod 3 therein so as to provide additional support to the rod 3. The recessed retention portion 51 of the intermediate bracket 5 is delimited, at the outermost end of the second limb of the intermediate bracket 5, by a retention wall 52 that is extended substantially upwards, serving to stably retain the rod 3 within the recessed retention portion 51.

The hanger ring 6 comprises a circular ring having a side opening 61. A window covering clip 62 is attached to and depending from the hanger ring 6.

Also referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, to install the window covering support bracket 2 of the present invention, the end bracket 4 and the intermediate bracket 5 are both fixed to the wall first. The rod sections 31, 32 of the rod 3 are respectively inserted through the retention rings 423 of the support arms 42 of the end brackets 4 and jointed to each other with the threading engagement between the bolt 311 of the rod section 31 and the internally-threaded hole 321 of the rod section 32. The so jointed rod 3 is thus partially received in the recessed retention portion 51 of the intermediate bracket 5 and thus supported by the intermediate bracket 5. Preferably, the intermediate bracket 5 is positioned to receive the joint between the rod sections 31, 32 as shown in FIG. 5. The hanger rings 6, with the clips 61 thereof attached to a window covering 7 in advance, are then put over the rod sections 31, 32 of the rod 3 to thereby attach the window covering 7 to the rod 3, and completing the installation of the window covering 7.

Also referring to FIG. 7, in an aspect of the present invention, the intermediate bracket 5, having an L-shaped configuration, comprises a first, end limb fixed to the wall and a second, bottom limb extending from the end limb in a substantially horizontal direction in a regular installation of the window covering 7 and forming, at a free end thereof, the recessed retention portion 51 that is delimited by retention wall 2 provided at the outermost end of the bottom limb. The intermediate bracket 5 provides a stable support to the rod 3, especially at a middle portion of the rod 3, by partially receiving the rod 3 in the recessed retention portion 51 and stably retaining the rod 3 in position inside the recessed retention portion 51 by the retention wall 52. The hanger ring 6 to which the window covering clip 62 is attached forms a side opening 61 that is fit over the rod 3 so that the hanger ring 6 can be retained on the rod 3 by the weight of the window covering 7 that is secured to the clip 62. In other words, the gravity of the window covering 7 effectively prevents the hanger ring 6 from getting of the rod 3. Further, when the hanger ring 6 is fit on the rod 3, the side opening 61 of the hanger ring 6 is angularly positioned so as to substantially align with the bottom limb of the intermediate bracket 5 in the horizontal direction. This allows the hanger ring 6 to smoothly pass the intermediate bracket 5 when the window covering 7 is moved toward either end of the rod 3. Thus, the intermediate bracket 5 is no longer an obstacle to the hanger ring 6 in moving toward either end of the rod 3.

In the embodiment illustrated previously, the window covering 7 comprises a soft curtain that can be folded or pleated during its movement toward either end of the rod 3. The curtain can be replaced by a shade and FIG. 8 shows the application of the window covering support rack of the present invention that carries a shade instead of a curtain illustrated in FIG. 6. The shade, which is designated with reference numeral 8 in FIG. 8 is attached, along a top edge thereof, to hanger rings 81, which are of substantially identical construction as the hanger rings 6 shown in FIG. 6 but with the clip 62 removed. Similarly, the hanger rings 81, which form side openings (not labeled), are allowed to smoothly pass through the intermediate bracket 5.

Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, another embodiment of the intermediate bracket in accordance with the present invention is shown, and is generally designated with reference numeral 9. The intermediate bracket 9 is comprised of a primary bracket portion 91 and a secondary bracket portion 92. The primary bracket portion 91 is of a lying U-shaped plate, which, besides the end limb and the bottom limb of the L-shaped intermediate bracket 5 of the previous embodiment, comprises an additional top limb 911 that extends from the end limb and is substantially parallel to and spaced from the bottom limb. The top limb 911 forms on a top face thereof a projection 912 and an internally-threaded hole 913, which are spaced from each other by a predetermined distance in a direction of the extension of the top limb 911. The bottom limb of the U-shaped primary bracket portion 91, similar to the L-shaped bracket 5 of the previous embodiment, forms a recessed retention portion 914 at a free end thereof and a retention wall 915 at the outermost position and delimiting the recessed retention portion 914.

The secondary bracket portion 92 comprises a lower portion that has a construction similar to the L-shaped bracket 5 of the previous embodiment, namely comprising an end limb and a bottom limb extending from the end limb, and the bottom limb forms a recessed retention portion 923 at a free end thereof and a retention wall 924 at the outermost position and delimiting the recessed retention portion 923. The secondary bracket portion 92, however, further comprises a top limb 921 extending from the end limb but in a direction opposite to the bottom limb and positionable on the top limb 911 of the primary bracket portion 91 in a partially overlapped manner. An elongate slot 922, extending in the direction of extension of the top limb 921, is defined in the top limb 921, having a length sufficient to cover the predetermined distance between the projection 912 and the internally threaded hole 913 of the primary bracket portion 91. The projection 912 is received in the slot 922 when the top limb 921 of the secondary bracket portion 92 is positioned on the top limb 911 of the primary bracket portion 91 and the hole 913 is aligned with the slot 922 to engage a threaded fastener S that extends through the slot 922 so as to secure the primary and secondary bracket portions 91, 92 together in a partially stacked manner.

Also referring FIGS. 11 and 12, to install the two-portion intermediate bracket 9, two end brackets 4, each forming two spaced retention ring 422, are first mounted to a wall. Also, the primary bracket portion 91 of the intermediate bracket 9 is mounted to the wall, and the secondary bracket portion 92 is secured to the primary bracket portion 91 by having the slot 922 fit over the projection 912 and the fastener S extending through and slot 922 and engaging the internally threaded hole 913. Two rods 3, each having the same two-sectioned construction as discussed above, are inserted through the retention rings 422 of both end brackets 4 respectively with the first and second rod sections 31, 32, which are then jointed with threading engagement. The jointed rods 3 are respectively positioned in and supported by the recessed retention portions 914, 923 of the primary and secondary bracket portions 91, 92. Thus, the rods are stably positioned and supported. Further, the retention walls 915, 924 of the recessed retention portions 914, 923 of the primary and secondary bracket portions 91, 92 help stably retain the rods 3 in position inside the recessed retention portions 914, 923. Similarly, hanger rings 6 that carry window coverings are provided with side openings that allow the hanger rings 6 to smoothly pass over the bottom limbs of both the primary and secondary bracket portions 91, 92.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, it is apparent to those skilled in the art that a variety of modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention which is intended to be defined by the appended claims.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together may also find a useful application in other types of methods differing from the type described above.

While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention. 

1. A window covering support rack comprising a rod having two ends retained by two end brackets adapted to mount to a wall, an intermediate bracket adapted to mount to the wall and supporting the rod thereon, and a hanger ring movably fit on the rod, the intermediate bracket comprising an end section mounted to the wall and a bottom support section extending from the end section and having a free end forming a recess for partially receiving and supporting the rod therein.
 2. The window covering support rack as claimed in claim 1, wherein a retention wall is formed at an outermost position of the free end of the bottom support section of the intermediate bracket to stably retain the rod in the recess.
 3. The window covering support rack as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hanger ring forms a side opening that aligns with the bottom support section of the intermediate bracket to allow the hanger ring to move over the intermediate bracket.
 4. A window covering support rack comprising two rods each having two ends retained by two end brackets adapted to mount to a wall, an intermediate bracket adapted to mount to the wall and supporting the rod thereon, and a hanger ring movably fit on each rod, the intermediate bracket adapted to mounted to the wall and comprising a primary member and a secondary member, wherein the primary member comprises a top support section in which an internally threaded hole is defined and a bottom support section forming a recess for partially receiving and supporting a rod therein, the second bracket member comprising a top support section forming a slot corresponding to the internally threaded hole of the top support section and engaging a threaded fastener to secure the primary and secondary bracket members together, the secondary bracket member having a bottom support section forming a recess for partially receiving and supporting a rod therein.
 5. The window covering support rack as claimed in claim 4, wherein the top support section of the primary bracket member forms a projection spaced from the internally threaded hole and wherein the slot defined in the top support section of the secondary bracket member is elongate and receiving both the projection and the threaded fastener therein.
 6. The window covering support rack, as claimed in claim 4, wherein a retention wall is formed on the bottom support section of the primary bracket member to stably retain the rod in the recess of the primary bracket member.
 7. The window covering support rack as claimed in claim 4, wherein a retention wall is formed on the bottom support section of the secondary bracket member to stably retain the rod in the recess of the secondary bracket member.
 8. The window covering support rack as claimed in claim 4, wherein the hanger ring forms a side opening that aligns with the bottom support section of the bracket member to allow the hanger ring to move over the bracket member. 